Hydrangea Plant Named ‘Agrihydrazes’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘Agrihydrazes’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; strong roots and stems; freely branching habit; and large inflorescences with red-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘AGRIHYDRAZES’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea, botanically known as Hydrangea hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Agrihydrazes’.

The new Hydrangea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new Hydrangea cultivars with strong stems, large inflorescences and attractive flower color.

The new Hydrangea originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Apr. 15, 2001 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Hydrangea hybrida identified as code number 200147-02, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Hydrangea hybrida identified as code number 99158-12, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hydrangea was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany on Mar. 5, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hydrangea by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in a greenhouse in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since Mar. 15, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Agrihydrazes has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Agrihydrazes’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Agrihydrazes’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Strong roots and stems.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Large inflorescences with red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of female parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have dark pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of male parent selection primarily in flowering habit as plants of the new Hydrangea are more freely flowering than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the cultivar Doris, not patented. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of the cultivar Doris in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more vigorous than plants of         the cultivar Doris.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea and the cultivar Doris differ in         flower color as plants of the cultivar Doris have purple-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the unique appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ from the color value cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Agrihydrazes’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in the aforementioned photograph and in the following description were grown during the winter in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 17° C. Plants of the new Hydrangea were about one year old when the photograph and description were taken.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea hybrida cultivar Agrihydrazes. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea             hybrida identified as code number 200147-02, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea             hybrida identified as code number 99158-12, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at             temperatures of 23° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at             temperatures of 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             weeks at temperatures of 18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick; whitish brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/growth habit.—Upright and mounded plant habit; inverted             triangle. Strong lateral branches; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm to 40 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 40 cm.         -   Branching habit.—When pinched, freely branching with about             six lateral branches per plant.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Internode length: About 5.5 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Strength: Strong. Color: Close to 146C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 10.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 8.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Dentate to serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Rugose; glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             145B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 137C;             venation, 146B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single sterile and fertile flowers             arranged on terminal panicles; panicles large and globular.             Flowers face upright to outward. Flowers persistent. Flowers             not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering during the             summer in Northern Europe.         -   Flower longevity.—Sterile flowers last about four months on             the plant; fertile flowers last about one month on the             plant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; about 60 sterile             flowers per panicle and about 25 fertile flowers per             panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 10 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 13 cm to 14 cm.         -   Sterile flower diameter.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Sterile flower depth (height).—About 1.6 cm.         -   Fertile flower diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Fertile flower depth (height).—About 7 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals, sterile flowers only, fertile flowers without             petals.—Arrangement: About five in a single whorl. Length:             About 3.5 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 149D. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 62D; color becoming closer to 48D             with development.         -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity per flower: About four in             a single whorl. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 1.9 cm.             Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Retuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower             surface: Rugose, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to             63B tinted with 44C. Color, lower surface: Close to 63C.         -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity per flower: About four in             a single whorl. Length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About 2 mm.             Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 62D.         -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Angle: About 45° from vertical.             Strength: Strong. Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About             1.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 62D.         -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Angle: Mostly upright. Strength:             Moderately strong. Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 62C.         -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers only; sterile flowers             without reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower:             About eight. Anther shape: Conical. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther color: Close to 145D. Pollen amount: Abundant.             Pollen color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Pistil quantity per             flower: About three. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma             shape: Oval. Stigma color: Close to 155C. Style length:             About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 150D. Ovary color: Close             to 150D.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.1 mm. Color:             Close to 200C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,     plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed to be resistant     to pathogens or pests common to Hydrangea. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 3° C. to about 38°     C. 

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘Agrihydrazes’ as illustrated and described. 